Published on: Aug 10, 2018
4 Golden Rules on How To Arrange Your Living Room — Interior designer Rebecca Wakefield shares four interior design tips for creating the perfect living room.
British interior designer Rebecca Wakefield shares designer her tips for arranging your living room, fresh paints from Earthborn and Little Greene, and new ways to use wood. Wakefield oversees the creative aspects of every project, so she has an impressive contacts book of architects, structural engineers, and artisans. Wakefield’s special skills include matching pieces of art to interiors and creating rooms that harmonize with historical buildings.
«I always start a concept with the architectural element at the forefront of my mind. Architecture and interiors are so heavily intertwined that one skill set without the other can prevent exceptional design.» — Rebecca Wakefield
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1. HOW TO HANG ART PROPERLY
Rebecca Wakefield is a huge advocate of unexpected artwork positioning and sizing, which adds real interest to space. If you’re not confident doing this, use your furniture layout and architectural features as a guide. Don’t just hang an artwork precisely in the middle of a wall as it can look contrived.
2. CHOOSING THE PERFECT RUG
A rug should be the main anchor of your room. Avoid it being too small; a rug covering only the floor around a coffee table will make space feel incohesive. Go for the largest rug you can, providing that doors can open clearly. Rugs should extend at least halfway under sofas and 30cm either side of them; side tables need to sit either fully on or off to avoid a messy look.
3. IT’S ALL ABOUT YOUR ROOM SIZE
If you have a large room, don’t be afraid to buy an oversized sofa and armchairs. It will look underdressed if you scrimp on small furniture. You can add more delicate elements with lamps and side tables. With a small space, it’s the opposite: you often have to downscale more than you think to create the illusion of an open, airy space. Get a sofa that is less deep but as wide as the room can take, placing it against the wall. Armchairs should be smaller too, but if you don’t have room for any, don’t force it as it will overpower the space.
4. THE RULE OF THREE
There is an unwritten rule of still-life styling that says you should work with uneven numbers. Avoid symmetry and ‘coupling’ objects; instead, think about balance for a more interesting and appealing composition. A lateral object (such as a book or tray) with something tall and vertical (like a vase or candlestick) and something low and bulky (such as a paperweight or bowl) is a great starting point for styling a coffee table or sideboard.